Goodchild Marine Services Limited has secured a contract with Dublin Port Company to construct a new pilot boat.

The Norfolk-based boat builder will deliver a new 17-metre (ORC 171) vessel to Dublin Port in July 2019 - the first ORC pilot boat to be exported.

Designed by naval architects Pantocarene, and adapted by Goodchild Marine Services Limited for the local market, the boat is renowned for its fuel efficiency and capacity to cut emissions. Its innovative beak bow design steadies the hull of the boat as it pitches into the sea and allows for handling at high speeds in bad weather.

A separate, flexibly mounted wheelhouse helps mitigate noise and vibration, making the experience for pilots and crew more comfortable, whilst the hull form significantly reduces fuel consumption due to minimal drag.

These environmental and design features are in line with Dublin Port’s commitment under the Masterplan 2040, reviewed 2018, to focus on environmental performance improvements in order to reduce the carbon footprint of vessels in port.

The new addition to Dublin Port’s fleet will play a vital role in meeting the operational needs of Ireland’s largest and busiest port as it continues to experience growing trade volumes.

Steve Pierce, General Manager, Goodchild Marine Services Limited, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Dublin Port on this project. Customers who have been using the ORC range of pilot boats for up to 6 years are reporting fuel savings of around 40% year on year.

“We have made it our objective to produce boats that have both environmental and financial benefits to ports. Based on customers’ real operational data our ORC pilot boats are the perfect demonstration of this.

“This is the first time our ORC 171 has been exported, so it represents a very exciting time for Goodchild Marine Services Limited.”

Eamonn O’Reilly, Chief Executive, Dublin Port Company, said: “The new pilot boat is the latest investment by DPC as we prepare Dublin Port for future growth. Investment in infrastructure is not simply confined to new quay walls and other engineering works, but also extends to the marine fleet that keeps Dublin Port operational 24/7.

“Our pilots increasingly need to embark and disembark from much larger capacity ships, and the addition of the new pilot boat will allow our team of experts to do so safely, even at greater distances from port.”